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Improved gas and electric safety standards to protect NSW Consumers

31 August 2018

Consumers are set to benefit from improved safety standards in the gas and electrical goods industry when amended regulations commence on 1 September 2018.

Gas and electricity are some of the most dangerous utilities people encounter. The new regulations give the NSW Government stronger enforcement powers to crackdown on suppliers who supply unsatisfactory goods or poorly install fittings.

The Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 and supporting Regulation merges the existing gas and electricity consumer safety laws into a single piece of legislation, providing a clear, consistent and consolidated regulatory framework for industry and consumers.

“This consolidated legislation will provide gas and electrical retailers with one source of law to refer to and improve enforcement powers which ensure the safety of NSW consumers.”

The Act will provide multiple benefits, including:

Implementing a consistent compliance and enforcement regime for both gas and electricity energy sources;

Authorising NSW Fair Trading officers to seize or remove any unsafe gas appliance where an offence has been committed or the appliance is unsafe;

Aligning the maximum penalties for offences relating to gas safety with those relating to electricity safety; and, most importantly,

Addressing deficiencies in the current gas consumer safety provisions to better provide consumers and the NSW public.

The Act and its associated Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018 are the result of extensive consultations with community members and stakeholders, including industry groups and associations.

The standards referred to in the Regulation will have an effective date of 1 January 2019, with existing standards continuing to apply in the interim.

For more information about the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 visit fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.